Locomotive-feed-water heater



Sept. 15, 1925;

w. s. GREGCRY LOCOMOTIVES. FEED WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 11. 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ij, M42292, (5? ymyoy Sept. 15, 1925.

- w.,s. GREGORY LocouoTlv FEEn WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 11. 1924Patented Sept 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILBUR S. GREGORY, OF PORT JERVIS, NEW YORK.

IJOOOMOTIVE-FEED-WATER HEATER.

Application filed September 11, 1924. Serial No. 737,181.

lowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to accessories for use in connection with steamlocomotives and has for its object the provision of a novel feed waterheater utilizing the exhaust steam as the heating medium. and embodyinga 1 novel pumping v system whereby the cold wateris taken from a storagetank, passed through the heating device, and subsequently forced intothe boiler.

Another object is the provision of an apparatus of this characterembodying a triple pump arrangement, the members or elements of whichare arranged in tandem and located at the bottom portion of thelocomotive tender, .the pumping mechanism being operated bylive steamfrom the boiler.

A further object is the provision of an apparatus of this character inwhich the hot water pump is alwaysfull of water and consequently readyfor instant service upon starting of the pumping mechanism.

Yet another object is the provision of a novel and peculiar heatingdevice so constructed and arranged that the maximum heating power of theexhaust steam is utili'zed to bring the water up to the desiredtemperature. y

The invention further contemplates the provision of an apparatus of thischaracter embodying the above and still other features which constitutea distinct improvement and refinement in devices of this generalcharac-' ter, the construct-ion being, moreover, comparatively simpleand inexpensive to manu-' facture and install, positive in action,efficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and admotive tender and a fra ment of alocomotive showing my device in applied position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through my device alone, parts being brokenaway and portions being in elevation.

Figure 3 is a detail cross section through the heating device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates asteam locomotive, B represents the tender therefdr, C the exhaust steamline, D the live steam line, E the boiler feed pipe, and F indicates awater storage tank.

In carrying out the invention I provide a heating-device comprising acasing 10 mounted at the top of the tender and having the exhaust steampipe C connected or communieating with its top. In this casing is avent11 and an opening 12 permitting access to the interior, which hole isnormally closed by a cover plate 13. Located within the upper portion ofthis casing is a water conductin pipe 14 terminating in a spray nozzle15 and fed with water by means to be described. Secured to and extendingdownwardly from the lower forward portion of the easing 10 and arrangedin an inclined direction, is a conduit 16 of any desired size, shape andmaterial but which is here represented as rectangular in cross-sectionas such aform is quite convenient. The interior of this conduitcommunicates withthe bottom of the-casing 10 through an opening 17 lo-'cated in position to receive water. discharged from the-spray nozzle15. Located within this conduit and'spaced from the-back wall thereof,is a partition 18 defining apassage 19 into the upper end of which leadsa pipe.

20 connected with the exhaust steam pipe C, as shown. Secured on theforward face of the partition 18 are superposed bafiie plates 21 whichterminate short of the other side or front of the conduit, and beneaththe series of baflies the partition 18 is providedwith holes 22 whichwill permit exhaust steam within the assage 19 to ass out beneath thesuccessive affles, and t is steam, together with the steam entering thecasing 10 through the pipe C'will act upon the water sprayed from thenozzle 15 and efi'ectheat- .ing ofthe water to a sufliciently hightemperature that it will be ready for introdu ti n t he ler.

i conjunction with the above apparatus,

I provide a pumping mechanism located at pistons-28 and 29 operatingwithin the cylinders 24 and 25, respectively. The cylinder 23 carries aconventional steam chest with which the steam pipe D is connected, anoil separator or filter 31 being interposed in the line. Within thechest 30 is any ordinary or preferred type of slide valve, not shown,provided for the purpose of supplying steam pressure alternately toopposite sides of the piston 26 for moving the piston rod '27 andconsequently the pistons 28 and 29 carried thereby.

At the top and bottom of the cylinder 24 are passages 32 and 33,respectively, the former of which is connected by a pipe 34 with thewater storage tank F, and the latter of which has leading therefrom apipe 35 leading to the casing 10 and connecting with the pipe 14therein. The cylinder 24 p is equipped with inlet valves 36 and outletvalves 37 whereby reciprocation ofthe piston 28 will cause waterentering the, passage 32 from the tank F to be drawn into the cylinderat each stroke of thepiston and to be forced out throughthe valves 37into the passage 33 and thence through the pipe 35 to the spray devicein the .casing 10.

- The cylinder 25 is provided at its top with an inlet passage 38 havingan opening 39 communicating with the lower end of the conduit 16 so asto receive the water heated in the conduit by means of the exhauststeam. I It should be mentioned that the exhaust steam condenses-andmixes with the water so that any excessive pressure. is

avoided. Atthe bottom of the cylinder 25 is an outlet passage 40 withwhich the feed water pipeE is connected. Obviously, flexible hosemembers or other similar. devices are provided wherever necessary and no256 claim is made to their employment as they are old and well known 1nthe art. The cylinder 25 is equipped with inlet valves41 and outlet.valves 42 whereby upon every back :andfortli stroke ofthe piston 29water 'Wlll be drawn into the cylinder from the passage 38 aiid beforced into the passage 40 and out througlpthe feed water 'pipeto thelocomotive. Q Y

- Leading from the passage 32 of the cylinder 24 is a pipe 43 leadinginto the inlet passage 38 of the cylinder 25 and containing a ball checkvalve 44 for the purpose of preventing back pressure. The, pur oseof ths transfer pipe'is to permitfee water X P s from the cylinder 24 to thecy1in der r25- even when the pumping mechanism is not in operation, theadvantage being that the cylinder 25 always contains a supply of waterready to be fed to the locomotive. It should also be stated that thecylinders 24 and 25 are provided with upstanding vent pipes 45 and 46,respectively, which terminate above the maximum water level in the tank15. The lower end ortion of the conduit 16 may be provided with amovable door 47 permitting access to the interior for the purpose ofcleaning out any matter therein or for any other necessary I so that thedevice should havea long and satisfactory life.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right tomake such changes in the form,

construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spiritof the 'in- I vention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

.1. In combination with the exhaust steam.

line, water supply tank, and boiler feed pipe of a locomotive, a tandempump mechanism receiving water from the storage tank, a' heating deviceconnected. with the exhaustv steam line, spray means within the heatingdevice connected with the pumping mechanism, and an outlet connection.from the pumping mechanism to the boiler feed pipe, and a check valvetransfer pipe between elements of'the tandem pumping mechanism forpermitting flow of water therethrough.

. 2. The combination with the feed water tank, boilerfeed pipe, livesteam; line and exhaust steam line of a locomotive, of a pump. receivingfrom said tank, a heating casing and conduit'in communicationwith 4 theexhaust steam line, a spray nozzle within the casing connected with .thepump and receiving water therefrom, means operated by the live steamline for operating said 1 pump, and a second pump having a check valvecommunication with the first'named pump and receiving from the heatingcondnit, and discharging into the boiler feed pipe. I I

3. In an apparatus of the character descr1bed, exhaust steam operatedwater heatmg means comprising a casing, an exhaust steam pipe connectedtherewith, a water spray nozzle within the casing, means for con uitconnected and communicating with 5 the bottom of the casing and having apassage member extending throughout the length thereof, a series ofstepped baflies on supglying water to the nozzle, an inclined thepassage member, and the passage mem-' her having a pluralit of openingscommunicating with the con uit beneath the suooes\ sive ba-fiies.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

- WILBUR, S. GREGORY.

